Fluid control for duplicators



Feb. 2, 1937. E w STORCK 2,069,730

FLUID CONTROL FOR DUPLICATORS Filed April 5, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 7720672 071'? "@TM% 04. drwi.

Feb. 2, 1937. w, STORCK ET-AL 2,069,730

FLUID CONTROL FOR DUPLICATORS Filed April 5, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Feb; 2, 1937. F. w. s'roRcK ET AL 2,069,730

FLUID CONTROL FOR DUPLICATORS Filed Aprilv5, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 2, 1931. F; w, STORCK ET AL 2,069,730

FLUID CONTROL FOR DUPLICATORS Filed April 5, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 2, 1937 UNITED STAQiES sesame PATECN'ET @FEECE FLUID CONTROL FOR DUPLICATORS Application April 5, 1935;. Serial No..14;804

10. Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in duplicating machines wherein the record copy or master sheet is made in reverse with suitable copying ink and reproduced therefrom on sheets of paper, or the like, having a moistened face; and the inventionrelates more particularly to a flui'dcontrol and shut-off for a fluid supply reservoirand intermediate tankadapted to be used inconnection with duplicating machines of this character.

In a duplicating machine of the above referred to character and such as is shown and described in our United States Letters Patent Nos. 1,964,933, issued July 3, 1934, and 1,988,056, issued January 15, 1935, the clear sheet to be printed upon is moistened with a film of volatile, quickly diffusing liquid. In our preferred form, this fluid is supplied from an air-locked reservoir to an intermediate, barometrically controlled tank adapted to maintain a predetermined level of fluid therein and from which it is subsequently applied to the clear sheet. Such an intermediate tank and one method'of applying the fluid to a clear sheet is shown and described in our copending application, Serial No. 9,151. 7

In utilizing volatile liquid for the above purpose it is obvious that the liquid contained in the intermediate tank is subject to evaporation when the machine is idle. Over an extended period of time this evaporation would wastefully consume the contents of the reservoir from which the intermediate tank is supplied.

Therefore, the primary object of our present invention is to provide a simple and efiective fluid level control and shut-off formed of integral or connected parts of the fluid reservoir and intermediate tank without the necessity of employing additional parts or valves.

Another object is to provide an air-locked supply reservoir that may be readily removed for refilling and which, when in operative position, will coact with the intermediate tank or connections thereto to form a fluid level control and shut-off.

A further object is to so construct our fluid level control whereby a simple movement of the reservoir will position the discharge orifice of the reservoir in converse operative and inoperative discharging positions relative to the intermediate tank:

Withthe above and other objects in view our invention comprises a novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and more specifically pointed out in the appended claims. I'n the accompanying drawingswe have shown'a preferred form of our'fluid control, to-

gether' with modifications thereof suflicient to enable those skilled in the art to understand? the construction and operation thereof.

Referring to the drawings: 7 Fig; 1' is a vertical section of our fluid'reservoir and'a portion of an intermediate tank and hav ing a preferred" form of our fluid control embodied therewith; in this view the fluid control is l in its open 'positon.

' 10 Fig. 2' is a view corresponding substantiallyto Fig. 1', but shows the fluid control in a closed position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional'view taken along'line 3" -3*',

Fig. 1

Fig. 4 is a-sectional'view taken along line 4-4;

Fig. 2'. r

Fig. 5 is a'view' corresponding substantiallyto- Fig. 1; but shows a modification of'ourfluid control; in this view the fluid'control is shown in its closed position.

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding substanti'allyto Fig. 5, but shows the fluid control in its open position.

Fig. 'Tis a sectional view taken alongline 1 T, Fig. 75:

Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken along line 8'-8,

Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section corresponding substantially to Fig. 1', but shows another modification of ourfluid control; in this view the fluid control is shown in its closed position.

Fig; 10' is a view corresponding substantially The intermediate fluid tank In illustrated is provided, adjacent its top, with a longitudinal slot in which the capillary feed Wick II and its backing plate l2 are frictionally disposed. In this instance the tank I9 is provided with a projecting conduit l3, the outer end of which is secured to a reservoir support It.

The reservoir support [4 is provided with a longitudinal chamber Ma which is disposed with a substantially vertical axis and connects, by means of a communicating opening Mb, with the orificel3w of the tank conduit I3. The upper portion me ofthe reservoir support Hi is enlarged to form an annular rim-face Md. The expression;

.ervoir to the intermediate tank Hi. As the fluid engage in the longitudinal chamber I do of the reservoir support. I4. In our preferred form, as

illustrated at Figs. 1 and 2, the side wall of the conduit I9 is provided with an opening lilo-adapted for registration with the communicating opening Mb and conduit orifice, I3d. The level of liquid in the tank is controlled by the positionof the opening [9a and its relation to the bottom of the intermediate tank. The fluid is supplied to the intermediate tank I!) from the air-locked reservoir and thus the fluid supply level in the tank Ill is barometrically controlled, as is well known.

The areas of the orifice or discharge opening lBa and conduits are governed by the characteristics and surface tension of the fluid as is well known'in the art of barometric fluid feeds of this 7 character. a

In operation, when the reservoir is removed fromits support I4, the conduit I9 is withdrawn from its chamber Ma. The reservoiris then inverted with the conduit in an upright position and through which the operator replenishes and fills the reservoir with fluid. After the reservoir has been filled, the operator engages the conduit I9 with the annular rim face Md of the reservoir support and quickly inverts the reservoir and,

' Withthe conduit l9 depending, the bell-shaped portion Mc guides the conduit I9 into its engaging position in its chamber 14a. of the reservoir engages the annular rim face Md and axially positions the discharge opening I9a relative to the tank conduit I3. Y

During this replacing of the reservoir it is obvious that some flow of the liquid from the conduit would take place; therefore, the upper portion I40 of my support has an enlarged substantially bell shaped chamber coincident withrthe conduit chamber 14w. This also facilitates replacing the conduit in its chamber Ida with a minimum amount of spill, as anydischarge from x the reservoir, during the replacing operation, will be directed into the intermediate tank in.

Our reservoir may be provided with means (not shown), such as an arrow or similar'mark attached thereto, for indicating'the position of the discharge opening I9a relative to its registering position with the conduit I3.

The reservoir is rotated in its axial position, in

either direction, until the reservoir discharge opening Isa registers with the communicating opening Mb, see Fig. 1. This permits aclear'passage for the fluid to be discharged from the resin the tank Ii] rises to the top level of the dis charge opening Isa, a seal is formed and the res: ervoir becomes air-locked, thus preventing fur ther discharge therefrom.

When the level of the fluid in the'tank I0 is diminished below the sealing point and suflicient to break the surface tension of the fluid, air passes into the reservoir, as is well known, and permits replenishment of the fluid to the tank Iii. "When the device is to remain idle for a period of'time, the'operator simply rotates the reservoir,

in either direction, until the discharge opening Isa of the reservoir is in a non-registeringpo- .75

sition, see Fig. 2. This retains the fluid within The end plate the reservoir and eliminates evaporation of this fluid, while the fluid remaining in the tank I0 and conduit I3 is subjected to evaporation To start operations, the operator simply rotates the reservoir until the discharge opening 19a again registers with the conduit l3 and the tank I0 is thus supplied with its required fluid as above described.

At" Fig. 5 wehave shown a modification of our I 7 device wherein the reservoir discharge conduit 20 is of sufficient length to obstruct-the communieating opening Mb and prevent discharge therethrough when the end plate l6 of the reservoir is positioned in engagement with the annular rim face Md. In this modification the end plate I6 is provided with a cam lug IBa adapted to engage in a cam recess Me, formed contingent with the annular rim face Md, when the opening Mb is obstructed.

As the reservoir is rotated in its axial position, the lug 16a engages the side cam faces of the recess Me and elevates the reservoir to a point where the end face of the lug engages the annular rim face Md. This elevation of the reservoir positions the discharge opening 20a, of the reservoir conduit 20, in a discharging registration withthe communicating opening I41; and permits a clear passage for the fluid from thesupply reservoir to the intermediate-tank H), see Fig. 6.

In this modification, shown at Fig. 5, the fluid level in the interm'ediatetank I0 is controlled by the position of the conduit orifice I3a relative 7 to the bottom of :the intermediate tank I0.

j Afurther modification of our fluid control and shut-off is shown at Fig-i 9. In this particular instance the rim face Md is provided witha detent notch My adapted to receive a detent pin I611,

. which is secured to the end plate I 6 of the ros ervoir, when the end plate I6 is in engaging position with the annular rim face Md. The

reservoir discharge'spout 2| in this modification 'isalso of a suflicient length to obstruct the com- 'municating opening Mb as described in our first modification.

At Fig. 9 the device is shown in its closed 130-, x

sition. To open the fluid passage to the tank the reservoir is vertically lifted and partially rotated inits axial position and the end face of the detent pin I61) positioned in engagement with the annular rim face Md. To close the fluid conduit w I the reservoir is rotated until the detent pin lfib registers with its opening Hf, which permits the reservoir to again move downwardly to its closed position.

. Having thus described our invention in a preajf' ferred form with modifications therein, it is obvious that other modificationsmay be accomplished without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention; but What we claim is:- I l. A barometrically controlled fluid supply for duplicators having a supply reservoir with a discharge conduit, a chamber having a substantially vertical axis and adapted to receive said discharge conduit in 'a manner whereby said conduit may be freely removed and replaced, a,

discharge opening from said chamber, and means for alternately positioning an aperture of said discharge'conduit in registering and non-registering positions relative to said chamber dis- Y I charge opening, said'means being operative uponrotation of said reservoir in its normal, substani tially vertical, axial position.

2. A barometrically controlled fluid supply for duplicators having a reservoir with a tubular dis-. charge conduit, substantially forming an'integral part of said reservoir, a chamber having a substantially vertical axis and adapted to receive said discharge conduit in a manner whereby said conduit may be freely removed and replaced, guide means associated with said conduit chamber and whereby the advance end of said conduit is directed into said chamber, a discharge opening from said chamber with means for conversely positioning said discharge conduit relative to said chamber opening, said means being operative upon rotation of said reservoir in its normal, substantially vertical, axial position.

3. A fluid supply for duplicators having a normally air-locked reservoir with a discharge conduit integral therewith, a support for said reservoir, a chamber within said support having a susbtantially vertical axis and adapted to freely engage said discharge conduit in a manner whereby said conduit may be freely removed and replaced, a container adapted to maintain a predetermined level of fluid therein, a conduit connection disposed between said container and chamber; means disposed between said support and reservoir whereby said reservoir conduit may be positioned relative to the chamber opening of said conduit connection, said means being operative upon rotation of said reservoir in its normal, substantially vertical, axial position.

4. A fluid supply for duplicators having a container adapted to maintain a predetermined level of fluid therein, a conduit for said container, a fitting for said conduit having a chamber disposed with a substantially vertical axis, a communicating opening disposed between said chamber and said conduit and a substantially coneshaped portion adjacent said chamber, a reservoir having a tubular discharge conduit connected therewith and adapted to be guided and positioned for movement within said chamber to obstruct said communicating opening with means to position said reservoir discharge conduit to effect a continuous orifice between said container and reservoir, said means being operative upon rotation of said reservoir in its normal, substantially vertical, axial position and said conduit.

5. A fluid supply for duplicators having a container adapted to maintain a predetermined level of fluid therein, a conduit for said container, a fitting having a chamber with a communicating opening to said conduit, a removable reservoir supported by said fitting, said reservoir having a discharge conduit secured thereto which is adapted for movement within said chamber, a detent pin secured to said reservoir; an annulus forming a part of said support and having a detent opening whereby said detent pin is engaged by said annulus and opening to position the discharge orifice of said reservoir conduit relative to said chamber opening.

6. A fluid supply for duplicators having a container adapted to maintain a predetermined level of fluid therein, a conduit for said container, a fitting having a chamber disposed with a substantially vertical axis and with a communicating opening to said conduit, a removable reservoir supported by said fitting, said reservoir having a tubular discharge conduit secured thereto which is adapted for movement within said chamber, a projecting cam secured to said reservoir; an annulus forming a part of said support, a cam portion contiguous with said annulus and adapted to be engaged by said projecting cam whereby the discharge orifice of said reservoir conduit is positioned relative to said communicating opening upon rotation of said reservoir in its normal axial position.

'7. A fluid supply for duplicators having a container adapted to maintain a predetermined level of fluid therein, a chamber associated with said container and having a communicating opening therewith; a removable reservoir rotatably supported relative to said chamber, a spout secured to said reservoir and adapted to freely engage in said chamber, a discharge orifice in said spout adapted to be rotatively positioned for registration and non-registration with said communicating opening.

8. A fluid supply, for duplicators, having a removable fiuid supply reservoir with a tubular conduit forming substantially a part thereof, said reservoir and conduit, when in operative position, being disposed with a substantially vertical axis of rotation, a barometrically controlled container for receiving fluid and subsequent replenishment thereof from said reservoir, a fluid shut-off disposed between said reservoir and container, said reservoir conduit forming a part of said shut-off and having opposed positions and adapted to re- 1 combined reservoir and conduit in their oper- 3? ative axial position.

9. A fluid supply for duplicators having in combination a revolvably mounted reservoir provided with a dependent longitudinal spout said reservoir and conduit, when in operative position, being disposed with a substantially vertical longitudinal axis of rotation; a container, a chamber arranged closely and slidably to embrace said spout and provided with a discharge opening connected With said container, said spout being provided with a discharge opening whereby fluid therein may flow from said reservoir through said discharge opening of said chamber when said spout is in one position and means operable through the rotation of said reservoir about its longitudinal axis to change the position of said spout and thereby to cause a portion of said spout to close said discharge opening of said chamber.

10. A fluid supply for duplicators having a re movable fluid supply reservoir with a conduit extending therefrom, said reservoir and conduit being operatively disposed with a substantialy vertical axis of rotation; a barometrically controlled container for receiving fluid from said reservoir, said conduit, when in operative position, forming the actuated part of a fluid shut-01f having open and closed positions, said shut-off being disposed between said reservoir and container and actuated by movement of said reservoir in its axial position.

FREDERICK W. STORCK. CARL V. FRANSON. 

